2019 Preseason Baseball Honors Announced
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference revealed its 2019 Preseason Baseball honors, and defending tournament champion Texas Southern has been chosen as the preseason favorite in the Western Division while Alabama State was tabbed as the Eastern Division favorite.
The vote was conducted by the league’s Sports Information Directors and Head Coaches.
The Texas Southern Tigers enter the 2019 season searching for their fourth championship in five seasons and hopes to become the first team since the 2001-2003 Southern Jaguars to win three straight titles. TSU garnered 72 total points with nine first-place votes. Grambling State was second with 67 total points and six first-place votes, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff was third with 42 points.
In the East, Alabama State earned 73 points and nine first-place votes, outpointing Jackson State (69 points; six first-place votes). Alcorn State earned 40 points, coming in third for projected finish in the division.
Individual honors were also announced, with a Texas Southern tandem sweeping the awards. Reigning Pitcher of the Year Aron Solis and first-team selection Christian Sanchez were selected as Preseason Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively.
Solis, a first-team choice on the All-SWAC Preseason team, is coming off a 2018 season where he posted a 10-4 record while striking out 69 batters on his way to a 3.67 ERA. He threw 90.2 innings, second-most in the conference.
Sanchez led the league with 17 home runs and was second in the SWAC with 60 runs batted in. The senior slugger hit .335 last season, adding 13 doubles and boasting a .651 slugging percentage while stealing 12 bases.
Rounding out the preseason teams, Alabama State, Jackson State and Grambling State each had five total selections, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff had four honorees. Texas Southern picked up three nods, while Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State had one selection each.
Preseason First-Team All-SWAC Baseball
C – Drexler Macaay, Grambling State
1B – Christian Sanchez, Texas Southern
2B – Wesley Reyes, Jackson State
3B – Eriq White, Alabama State
SS- Jarficur Parker, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
DH- Richard Ortiz, Grambling State
OF – Isaiah Torres, Grambling State
OF – Sergio Esparza, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
OF – Desmond Chumley, Jackson State
SP – Aron Solis, Texas Southern
SP – Darrius Wright, Alabama State
RP – Chris Suarez, Jackson State
Preseason Second-Team All-SWAC Baseball
C – Ricardo Sanchez, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
1B – Rafael Ramirez, Grambling State
2B – Ryan Mallison, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
3B – Wendell Rieves, Mississippi Valley State
SS - Cristopher DeGuzman, Alabama State
DH – Raul Hernandez, Jackson State
OF – Olajide Oloruntimilehin, Texas Southern
OF – Noel Chenau, Alabama State
OF – Ace Felder, Grambling State
SP – Kevin Perez, Jackson State
SP – Carlos Lopez, Alcorn State
RP – Terrell McCall, Alabama State
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Aron Solis, Texas Southern
Preseason Player of the Year
Christian Sanchez, Texas Southern
Eastern Division Predicted Order of Finish (1st place votes)
Alabama State, 73 points (9)
Jackson State, 69 points (6)
Alcorn State, 40 points (1)
Alabama A&M, 33 points (0)
Mississippi Valley State, 25 points (0)
Western Division Predicted Order of Finish (1st place votes)
Texas Southern, 72 points (9)
Grambling State, 67 points (6)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 42 points (1)
Prairie View A&M, 34 points (0)
Southern, 25 points (0)
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at
www.swac.org.